Do you need to be an ex pro soccer/football player to be a good coach?

[Kross]

I can't remember a football/soccer coach that didn't play the game professionally to an extent. It seems one really can't become an excellent coach without having played football/soccer? Can a non pro football/soccer player make a good coach too?

 

[magnus2022]

Ex-footballers tend to be better coaches because they have experience and know what it takes to win a game? They say that experience is the best teacher. But there are coaches who did not play professional football but have achieved immense success in coaching. Some of them includes Arrigo Sacchi, Carlos Alberts, Jose Mourinho, Bill Struth etc.

 

[uptrendfinancialsignal]

No, it does not mean that you have to be a pro player to make a good coach. Practicing is good, but what is even more important is to know what the game really is, and how to handle players. There are many awesome coaches who did not even kick football at the professional level.

 

[Kross]

I think ex players would always make better coaches. They understand how it feels to be a pro player. That is why they would be able to understand things from the point of view of the players they are managing better. They feel the pains of pro players more than managers that have not played the game professionally.